Scan conversion systems for ultrasound imaging systems typically receive acoustic data comprising a set of acoustic scan lines which sample a two dimensional object field. The acoustic data is resampled from the acoustic grid to a display grid generating a display data set placed into a display memory for output on a rectangular display device. An example of a conventional scan conversion system is described in U.S. Pat. No. 4,471,449.
Although conventional scan conversion systems perform their desired function, certain limitations are inherent in these systems. For example, conventional scan conversion systems resample the acoustic data set, visiting each display data point in the display grid within a region bounded by adjacent scan lines and a boundary connecting the end points of the adjacent scan lines. Successive regions in the display grid bounded by adjacent scan lines are reconstructed one at a time which can result in significant inefficiencies due to the number of display data points visited outside of the region when detecting region boundaries. Thus, it would be desirable to reduce the inefficiency in the resampling process.
Another disadvantage of conventional systems is that approximations used in the resampling process may result in excessive errors in the resulting display values. Thus, it would also be desirable to provide an acoustic scan conversion system which reduces errors in the resampling process.
Another disadvantages of conventional systems is that the acoustic data on the acoustic grid is restricted to lie on a rectangular or polar grid where samples along the acoustic scan lines are equally spaced from a common apex. In applications using other grids, such as vector array, it would be desirable to perform resampling of acoustic data where samples along the acoustic scan lines do not have to be equally spaced from a common apex.
Accordingly, there is a need for an improved scan conversion system and method providing greater efficiency, reduced error, and support for a variety of acoustic grids.